Off the Wall: Cool White and Black Boards

Ideas can sprout at any time, not just when in a brainstorming meeting or space. With the creation of flexible and multipurpose office spaces, the use of walls in a modern office setting has become just as vital. The developments in the way surfaces are used has evolved to work in sync with the way people are working; with increased spontaneity. Here we look at some great offices who take to the walls and have converted them into a vital part of the office environment.

Digitas HQ, London

A digital creative firm, Digitas undertook short-term residency at their offices in the West end of London. With a large amount of up-cycled and recycles materials used, each of the walls and have been left blank. Spaces on walls work as large pin boards and staff regularly use these blank spaces to express and gather ideas. For collaboration and brainstorming, several of the nine meeting rooms feature a blackboard painted wall. Allowing staff to write and express their ideas, the few that have a blackboard painted surface have been used well for brainstorming and graphically expressing new ideas and solutions.

Image Credit: Morley Sternberg

Cooper, San Fransisco

As a design and strategy firm, the need for visually presenting ideas is key. The design of the interior makes positive use of the large open spaces by a creation of an array of flexible workspaces and collaborative working environments. A large wall long the office allows staff to collaboratively gather ideas and brainstorming. Other white-board solutions includes a magnetic wall so staff can attached graphic images and designs when collectively working on projects.

Image Credit: Eric Hermann

PayPal, Boston

Internet commerce giant PayPal have taken residency in Boston’s Financial district since 2013. With large open plan work spaces and numerous meetings rooms, the office features up to date and contemporary design attracting young graduates and a tech-savvy staff team. To encourage and allow staff to jot down any ideas at any time or any place, mostly all of the interior walls have been covered in IdeaPaint. The paint, which turns any smooth surface into a dry-erase wall means staff can pick up a marker and jot down, doodle and brainstorm wherever they are in the office, when an idea strikes.

Image Credit: IdeaPaint

BGT Partners’ HQ, Florida

Marketing firm BGT Partners have created a comfortable and relaxed interior space through the office design of its Miami based headquarters to heighten the imagination of its workforce. With endless custom made features including large open plan workspaces, spacious employee lounge, a recreation room with a piano, lego and drum set, the office features a significantly large dry-erase board. Standing at 15’ high and 30’ in width, the board is one of the world’s largest floor-to-ceiling dry-erase marker boards. This multipurpose surface is a vital part of the office for staff to collaborate and brainstorm ideas together.